Heel.



J. L. CHURCH.

HEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1911.

1,012,597. Patented Dec.26, 1911.

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JOHN L. CHURCH, OF IBELLINGHAM, WASHINQTON.

HEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 1, 1911. Serial No. 624,285.

I to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in heels. for boots and shoes,the object of my invention being to provide a heel of improvedconstruction which embodies elastic cushioning balls which are mountedin vention being to provideimproved devices 2o sockets with which theheel is provided and -which serve to give elasticity to the heel so asto relieve and prevent fatigue of walking and standing, another objectof the inof this character which are extremely cheap and simple and arevery strong and durable. In the accompanying drawlngs Figure 1 is avertical longitudinal sectional view of a heel constructed in accordancewith my invention; Fig. 2 is an-inverted plan of the same; and Fig. 3 isa transverse sectional view of the same on the plane indicated by theline H of Fig. 2.

- My improved heel is made ofa suitable number of layers 1 in which areformed sockets 2 which correspond in size and shape with cushioningballs 3 and serve to receive the said cushioning balls and nearly. coverthem, the lower side 1 of the cushioning balls'being exposed and causedto project slightly below the bottom of the heel as indicated at 4,These cushioning balls are elastic and 'are, in practice, made ofrubber. Any'suitablegnumber of the balls may be provided-according tothe size of the heel and the balls may be of any suitable size. Five of;the said balls are shown in the heel for the purposes ofthisspecification. The

. cushioning balls may be turned slightly in their sockets from. timeto, time as may be required to present new surfaces below the heel, asthecuslnoning balls wear, but the cushioning balls do not turn casuallyin their sockets in walking as when-the heel is placed on the groundthecushioning balls are compressed vertically to some extent by the weightand forceand hence tend to correspondingly expand horizontally and gripthe surface of the socketsin which they are mounted, such grippingaction effectually preventing the turning of the cushioning balls andhence there is no tendency, whatever, in my improved heel to slip. Onthe contrary, the cushioning. balls not only re; lieve the concussion ofthe .heel and correspondingly reduce the fatigue of walking and standingbut also, by frictional contact withthe ground, or other surface,prevent slipping. 1

' It will be observed upon reference. tothe drawings that the socketsare partially made in the layers of the heel and it will be understoodthat the cushioning balls may be removed fromtheir sockets byfirstdetaching the layers of the heel from one another. The layers of theheel are secured together in the ordinary way by nails or other suitablemeans. V

Having thus described my inventionI claim:

1. A heel having spherical sockets open on their lower sides at. thebottom of the heel and cushioning balls fitted in the said socketsandhaving their lower sides exposied and projecting from the bottom ofthe bee 2. A heel having spherical sockets open on their lower sides atthe bottom of the heel and cushioning balls fitted in the said socketsand having their lower sides exposed and projecting from the bottom ofthe heel,

said cushioning balls being made of elastic Patented Dec. 2,6 1911.

